The hospital has taken measures to mitigate the surge of viral infections and its impact on hospital capacity, including reducing surgeries by one-third and transferring teens to adult hospitals
A combination of COVID-19, flu and an unprecedented rise of respiratory syncytial virus cases, has caused the McMaster Children’s Hospital to nearly reach a 135 per cent in-patient occupancy.
In a media release on Nov. 1, Hamilton Health Sciences outlined the measures they were taking to handle the surge in hospital occupancy, including an emphasis on virtual care appointments to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and working with regional hospital partners to optimize pediatric capacity in the region.
The most notable measure was the hospital’s decision to reduce the number of surgeries requiring hospital admission to five per week, or one per day. Instead, the hospital will focus on surgeries that do not require hospital admission, citing the lack of inpatient bed availability. These changes took effect on Nov. 4 and are expected to last at least four weeks, according to a memo obtained by Global News.
“These actions – including the decision to make further reductions in pediatric surgical activity – are only being taken because of the extraordinary pressure at [McMaster Children’s Hospital] and across the healthcare system,” said the media release.
These actions – including the decision to make further reductions in pediatric surgical activity – are only being taken because of the extraordinary pressure at [McMaster Children’s Hospital] and across the healthcare system.
Media Release from McMaster Children's Hospital
Additionally, the hospital plans to consider transferring a greater number of adolescent patients out of the children’s hospital and into other HHS sites, if deemed medically appropriate, and to consider transferring children to other hospitals in the general region. This measure follows a province-wide recommendation from Ontario's critical care COVID-19 command centre for adult hospitals to accept children 14 and older from pediatric hospitals that need intensive care.
The unprecedented volume of hospital patients is being felt throughout the province. The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto also might start transferring a small number of adolescents 14 and older, according to a statement obtained by The Globe and Mail.
A media briefing by the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa discussed postponing some non-urgent surgeries, expanding staffing and clinic hours and hiring more staff to address the surges. Dr. Mona Jabbour, Interim Chief of Pediatrics at CHEO, attributed reduced immunity to RSV and the flu as reasons for increased surges.
“Because we did not see these viruses in the last few years, we’re seeing them all coming together to older children with reduced immunity. We’re seeing babies, toddlers, younger and older children getting sick. It’s all happening at the same time,” said Jabbour in the media briefing.
Because we did not see these viruses in the last few years, we’re seeing them all coming together to older children with reduced immunity. We’re seeing babies, toddlers, younger and older children getting sick. It’s all happening at the same time.
Mona Jabbour, Interim Chief of Pediatrics at CHEO, in a Media Briefing
Hamilton Health Sciences urges residents to get their flu shots and up-to-date COVID vaccines and boosters to reduce the current surges in pediatric and adult hospitals.
With a more intense resurgence of the flu predicted to hit Canada this flu season, the Student Wellness Centre also recommends students to take their flu shot this flu season.
C/O Uta Scholl, Unsplash
With the rising COVID-19 cases in Ontario, many spent their holidays differently than expected
Prior to the outbreak of the Omicron variant, which began in Ontario at the end of November, the COVID-19 case count had remained relatively stable for most of fall. The lower case counts allowed the province to keep services such as gyms, theatres and indoor dining spaces open. They also allowed individuals to gather in larger groups and travel outside of the country.
The Omicron outbreak sparked a change in these public health guidelines, meaning that many Ontario residents were left spending their holidays in ways that they did not expect to.
Emily Osborne, a second-year student at McMaster University, described how COVID-19 impacted her ability to work over the holidays. Osborne works as a bartender in Hamilton and was planning on remaining in Hamilton to work for much of the winter break; however, she was unable to do so, due to the closure of indoor dining in Ontario.
“I was going to work 70 to 80 hours over the three weeks [of the winter break], but I ended up just working 25 or 30, I think, in the first week. And then we had the first set of restrictions that moved our close time to ten instead of 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and then we had the new set of restrictions that completely closed indoor dining,” explained Osborne.
Despite feeling disappointed at not being able to work as much as planned, Osborne expressed that her situation over the winter break could have been worse.
“I didn't need those shifts and I feel bad for people who were actually really depending on the break [as a] source of income,” said Osborne.
“I didn't need those shifts and I feel bad for people who were actually really depending on the break [as a] source of income.”
Emily Osborne, second-year student at McMaster University
Maia Poon, another second-year student at McMaster, explained that COVID-19 changed her original winter break plans, which were to explore the city of Toronto. Originally from Vancouver, Poon spent the winter break with her grandparents in Scarborough and was looking forward to experiencing an Ontario winter.
“Because I was living with my grandparents [and] with the new COVID numbers, we ended up staying at home and walking outside in our neighborhood, rather than going out to places. So yeah, it was definitely pretty different than we'd imagined,” said Poon.
“Because I was living with my grandparents [and] with the new COVID numbers, we ended up staying at home and walking outside in our neighborhood, rather than going out to places. So yeah, it was definitely pretty different than we'd imagined.”
Maia Poon, second-year student at McMaster University
For Poon, her changing winter break plans were mostly a result of her desire to be cautious, rather than it being a reaction to public health guidelines. Since Poon was living with her grandparents, who she explained are immunocompromised, she was especially concerned about COVID-19 over the winter break.
After a winter break that, for many McMaster students, did not go as planned, the return to school this semester will be different as well, with many classes online until Feb. 7.
Poon said that she would still be returning to Hamilton at the end of the winter break; however, due to the increasing COVID-19 case count, Poon said that she would be getting a ride from a family member, rather than taking public transit.
Osborne, who is located in Oakville, said that she would likely remain at home for a few more weeks following the start of school on Jan. 10.
For Kimia Tahaei, a second-year McMaster student living in Iran, the Omicron variant has complicated her return to McMaster even more.
“I was about to come [to Canada]. My ticket was actually for Dec. 24, so about two weeks ago. And then, when they announced that because of the Omicron variant they're going to delay the school being in person for a week, I just assumed they [would] keep on doing that. So, I just canceled my ticket,” said Tahaei.
Tahaei explained that since she began attending McMaster in fall of 2020, she has had to pay fees to move and cancel flights numerous times, in response to changing statements about a return to in-person learning. Due to this, she opted to cancel her flight rather than push it back.
“The Omicron variant obviously made [planning to come to Hamilton] a lot tougher, because I know it's not the university's fault and it's not the government's fault. Everyone is uncertain. No one knows what to do, but that just puts extra pressure on people who are living abroad,” said Tahaei.
“The Omicron variant obviously made [planning to come to Hamilton] a lot tougher, because I know it's not the university's fault and it's not the government's fault. Everyone is uncertain. No one knows what to do, but that just puts extra pressure on people who are living abroad.”
Kimia Tahaei, Second-year Student At McMaster University
Whether it’s students who live near or far from McMaster, this winter, the Omicron outbreak has placed additional hurdles to many plans. With public health officials predicting that the outbreak has yet to reach its peak, McMaster’s plan for return is still up for changes as the university continues to follow public health guidelines.
C/O Georgia Kirkos
McMaster experts share insights about the updated guidelines and their effects on the spread of Omicron
After relatively steady COVID-19 case counts throughout the fall, the highly contagious Omicron variant was identified in Ontario at the end of November. Since then, case counts have skyrocketed, surpassing 10,000 cases for the first time on Dec. 25.
In response to the increase in COVID-19 cases, the Ontario government has updated public health guidelines, putting in place more restrictions for Ontario residents. This includes stricter gathering limits, closure of events and businesses, shortened quarantine times for individuals tested positive and limits on who can access a PCR test.
The gathering limits in Ontario have been reduced to five people indoors or ten people outdoors. Weddings, funerals and religious services, when held indoors, are limited to 50 per cent capacity of the spaces they are held in. When held outdoors, they must allow for full social distancing between all attendees. Further, businesses and employers must ensure that their employees are working remotely, assuming that this is feasible.
In terms of business closures, indoor dining, theatres, gyms and other similar spaces are required to close completely. Other spaces such as retail settings and public libraries can remain open at 50 per cent capacity.
Zain Chagla, Associate Professor of Medicine at McMaster University, emphasized the importance of these closures for Ontario. According to Chagla, the highly contagious Omicron variant will likely infect a large portion of the population, regardless of public health measures; however, the public health guidelines should slow the spread of Omicron to prevent placing a strain on the healthcare system.
“The hope is [that] public health measures might delay or slow down some of that spread, so [that the Omicron variant spreads] over two to three months, as compared to one month, where hospitals [could] easily become overwhelmed,” said Chagla.
“The hope is [that] public health measures might delay or slow down some of that spread, so [that the Omicron variant spreads] over two to three months, as compared to one month, where hospitals [could] easily become overwhelmed.”
Zain Chagla, Associate Professor of Medicine at McMaster University
Chagla also noted that slowing the spread of Omicron should ensure that essential services still have enough people to operate them in the meantime.
“People, even if they are mild with COVID, still need to isolate and that has downstream impacts on the ability to staff hospitals, police, fire stations, grocery stores, etc. Again, spreading that out a little bit would at least allow some of those essential industries and essential care services to stay open,” explained Chagla.
In addition to stricter COVID-19 related restrictions, Ontario has also made changes to their rules surrounding testing and isolation.
Publicly funded PCR tests, previously available to anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, are now only accessible to symptomatic individuals deemed high-risk by the province. As well, most people who test positive for COVID-19 using a rapid antigen test will no longer be expected to confirm their test result with a PCR test; instead, the province has instructed those people to assume that they have COVID-19 and to isolate for the recommended period.
The recommended isolation period, which was previously ten days since the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, has been shortened to five days since the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, for vaccinated individuals and children under twelve. Ontario was not the only province to implement this change; British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have announced shorter isolation periods as well.
Chief Medical Officers and Health Ministers of various provinces have given a range of reasons for the shortened isolation time, such as a far lower risk of transmission after five days, greater incentive to self-test when the quarantine time is shorter and prevention of unmanageable disruptions to the workforce.
In terms of what the changing restrictions will mean for students at McMaster, Chagla pointed out that McMaster’s decision to delay the full return to campus to Feb. 7 will allow students extra time to obtain their third vaccine doses.
“I really want to reassure people, especially young individuals attending Mac, that [if] you get your booster [and] get your two doses, yes, there's a good shot that you would still get COVID in the next few months, but the outcomes are going to be really, really benign,” said Chagla.
According to Lori Burrows, Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster, obtaining a booster shot is one of the most effective ways to combat the Omicron wave.
According to Lori Burrows, Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster, obtaining a booster shot is one of the most effective ways to combat the Omicron wave.
Burrows emphasized the importance of being careful in the meantime because, while Omicron is generally less severe for vaccinated individuals, it is still dangerous.
“The natural course of evolution for any virus or pathogen is to become less pathogenic over time because if you're a virus, your goal is to infect as many hosts as possible. If you kill your host, that's a bad strategy from an evolutionary standpoint. So, most pathogens become less pathogenic over time, but better at transmitting,” explained Burrows.
Burrows added that, while this seems to be the direction that Omicron is heading in, it isn’t there yet.
“It's still killing people, so we have got to keep that in mind and we still have to be careful,” said Burrows.
“It's still killing people, so we have got to keep that in mind and we still have to be careful.”
Lori Burrows, Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster
Despite this, Burrows emphasized that some level of optimism is important because we have made significant progress in fighting COVID-19 over the last two years. As Burrows explained, we did not have vaccines, medications or any understanding of COVID-19 when the pandemic first began. Now, two years later, we are far better equipped to handle the pandemic.
“We are in a better place than we were two years ago,” said Burrows.
Racially discriminatory healthcare, anyone? It’s free!
C/O Ashkan Forouzani
By: Hadeeqa Aziz, Contributor
Throughout school, we’ve been taught about all the ways Canada’s healthcare system is perfect. We’ve got free healthcare, for goodness’ sake!
It seems as though this phrase has made itself quite comfortable in our heads. Even now, while engaging in friendly conversation with our American counterparts, we don’t leave without mentioning: “we’ve got free healthcare”.
What our education systems have failed to teach us, however, is the masked reality of healthcare services in Canada. Various healthcare disparities most definitely exist here and remain persistent.
Indigenous, immigrant, refugee and racialized groups are at a greater risk for the negative health outcomes that result from health inequalities. These inequalities arise from poverty, socioeconomic status, race, identity and other social determinants.
Why is this the case? Although Canada promises free health care to all its citizens, we need to take a second to examine how accessible and adequate such services are to different groups of Canadians.
Don’t believe that racism can exist in a healthcare setting? Think again. When ideas of superiority and inferiority come to life in such a way that it interferes with an individual’s health and their access to health resources, you’re staring right at racism.
Don’t believe that racism can exist in a healthcare setting? Think again. When ideas of superiority and inferiority come to life in such a way that it interferes with an individual’s health and their access to health resources, you’re staring right at racism.
Did you know that Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities, as well as those of lower educational attainment levels, are at greater risk for things such as diabetes, mental health illnesses, suicide rates and heart disease?
Racial discrimination has earned its title as the leading health issue affecting racialized communities. When these communities are trapped in a system where they are consistently oppressed, how can you not expect them to be at a greater risk of chronic diseases?
For example, with Indigenous communities, the experience of colonization and the permanent effects of it has resulted in large disparities between their health status — including physical, mental and social health — compared to non-Indigenous peoples.
Approximately 50 per cent of Canadian First Nations live on reserves, where poor housing conditions also lead to several health issues. These issues include increased prevalence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, influenza and more recently, COVID-19.
Of course, a conversation about racism and discrimination isn’t complete without a discussion about how whiteness and Eurocentric ideologies have made themselves embedded within modern health care practices and processes.
Eurocentric ideas have become normalized in health care assessments, diagnosis and treatment plans. They are often used as yardsticks by which non-white groups are judged. How does that make sense when these groups have drastically unique experiences and lifestyles? Mainstream healthcare services are unequipped to adequately meet the needs of these communities.
It is also not surprising that these groups, especially immigrants, refugees and those living on Indigenous reserves do not have the same accessibility to health education. This often results from the intersections that those who identify as BIPOC have with lower socioeconomic status.
In Hamilton, 43 per cent of BIPOC live in low-income households, while only 15 per cent of white residents find themselves in the same category. See how the two determinants are often coupled with each other? Being a victim of both these health determinants inevitably puts an individual at risk of another: access to education.
Having access to health education means knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful to our bodies. When there are disparities with education attainment, these lines become blurry, leaving detrimental effects on an individual’s health.
Having access to health education means knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful to our bodies. When there are disparities with education attainment, these lines become blurry, leaving detrimental effects on an individual’s health.
Hamiltonians of lower-income class, which often consists of BIPOC communities, account for 27 per cent of COVID-19 cases, despite making up only 19 per cent of the population. Some determinants of contracting COVID-19 include education and money.
Being an immigrant or refugee already makes a person less likely to have access to an adequate education. Without one, a person may be less likely to know, or fully comprehend COVID-19 guidelines.
Let’s pretend that the person is fully educated on COVID-19 matters. Being of a lower socioeconomic class limits their access to resources, such as face masks and forces them into dangerous situations such as taking public transportation and living in crowded homes.
Even if they had funds to avoid all these things, racial discrimination remains the leading cause of health issues in these communities. See the trap? See how these intersections build upon each other?
Increased access to healthcare services by racialized groups must begin with first determining how these representations are manifested in our healthcare system as well as in “everyday interactions with clients”. We have to not only recognize but appreciate how multiple social identities operate in the lives of racialized communities and have a willingness to tackle issues from an intersectional perspective. Canada proudly identifies itself as a racially and culturally diverse nation — perhaps it’s time our healthcare system recognizes that.
How improper needle disposal is an issue in Hamilton and for McMaster
CW: drug use, opioids substance abuse, needles
Have you ever traveled across the city of Hamilton, or ran on trails in the areas surrounding McMaster University and come across needles left behind by people using drugs? Have you wondered what you can do about the issue? The problem of needles being left behind in various areas of the Steel City, including hotspots for students at McMaster and youth living in Hamilton, has long been an issue in Hamilton.
Although successful attempts by some groups to mitigate the issue have been made, improper needle disposal continues to be a pervasive problem in the city with the potential to endanger youth and is indicative of the effective epidemic of opioid use in our community.
[media-credit name="C/O Nicole Barati" align="alignnone" width="280"]
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Despite public health authorities having clear guidelines for the disposal of needles after use, they continue to be found in large quantities across our city. One member of the Hamilton community has made large contributions to mitigate this issue, making significant strides towards reducing levels of needles left across the city.
Nicole Barati is a 24-year-old in Hamilton who is a part of the East End Hamilton Neighbourhood Watch. She has worked with her fiancé to reduce levels of needles across Hamilton simply through picking them up, collecting them and setting up bins across the lower city to encourage safe and clean disposal of needles.
“The problem with needles in Hamilton is extreme. Within the past four months we have scoured areas and collected upwards of 3,000 needles,” explained Barati. “The biggest issue is not so much the amount of needles that are distributed but the amount of needles that are just left out in the open without a care for anyone to fall victim to.”
In collaboration with Shelter Health Network, Barati was able to set up several bins across the city to promote the safe disposal of needles. She will also be holding a meeting open to the public for those interested in how to spot needles and the harm reduction materials distributed in our city that are available for use. Large improvements have been made with regard to the levels of needles found openly in the city.
[media-credit name="C/O Nicole Barati" align="alignnone" width="280"]
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“Areas that were once littered with dozens of needles, we are finding 2-10 which is a huge change. We’re noticing that our more remote bins that are not out in the open are being used. We empty each bin biweekly and we've noticed a steady increase in the use of our bins,” said Barati.
Although improvements have been made, it is important that drug use, including that of opioids and proper disposal of needles, are topics that can be spoken about openly, without the stigma attached to those who use drugs. Awareness and action taken by our local municipal government and authorities regarding this topic, and individual efforts to make a change are the first steps in overcoming this issue.
“If people are not properly educated on harm reduction materials and safe needle disposal our city won't get any better,” said Barati. “Unfortunately addicts don't usually realize after their high that they've dropped their used needle on the floor.”
Students at McMaster also have a stake in this as there are still students living in Hamilton despite school being online. Participating in the fight against misinformation and stigma is something that involves students. This is a sentiment shared by Shayan Novin, a second-year health science student.
“It is saddening that this is the reality of drug addiction. Society continues to turn a blind eye to addiction and willingly neglects a population that needs our help. It all stems from stigma. We should not be learning about these things through CBC articles, but in the classroom,” said Novin.
While it is true that addressing stigma, misinformation and misconceptions surrounding drug use and those who use drugs is important, the improper disposal of needles is something that endangers McMaster students currently residing in Hamilton.
It is essential this issue is addressed by public health bodies and that students have access to the resources they need to understand this issue.
[media-credit name="C/O Nicole Barati" align="alignnone" width="280"]
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“Lack of safe disposal options may pose additional barriers to harm reduction,” said Marzan Hamid, a second-year health science student. “As a member of the Hamilton community, I worry for the most vulnerable populations that may need these options the most.”
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This is an issue that has long gone undiscussed, despite the many dangers and societal implications associated with it.
"This is an epidemic, we are seeing needles outside our doors, in our alleyways and in our parks," Barati said. "We cannot turn a blind eye to this matter because it will only get worse.”
By: Yashoda Valliere
During the winter, we spend much more time in close contact with each other – crammed into HSR buses, cafés, or libraries – and to add to our woes, our immune systems are compromised by the stress of exams. As a result, a university at this time of the year can be a veritable breeding ground for the flu.
The flu shot is free in Ontario and is a vaccine for this year’s flu viruses. A vaccine contains inactive (“dead”) viruses, which are injected into your body so your immune system can learn to recognize their unique “ID tags” and form antibodies specifically targeted to them. Due to the high mutation rate of the flu virus, new strains emerge each year, and the flu shot changes accordingly.
Every February, the World Health Organization releases what they deem to be the three most common and dangerous strains for the year, and the new vaccines are made specifically for those three. Since there are only three strains of flu virus in your vaccine, it does not protect against every strain of the virus and there is still a chance that you could get the flu.
So why should you consider getting the flu shot? After all, you might be thinking, “I’ve never gotten it and yet I’ve rarely had the flu, so obviously the vaccine is unnecessary.” To understand how vaccination programs really work, you need to look at the bigger picture, beyond yourself. Vaccines protect a large population through a principle called “herd immunity.”
For example, imagine you have five people in a row, and none of them have immune protection against the flu. If one person gets the flu, like a row of dominoes, a “chain of infection” is born. However, if one of them has been vaccinated, the chain of infection is broken by that person.
Herd immunity operates on this principle at a larger scale. If enough people in the population are vaccinated, then the chains of infection are broken at a relatively early stage, preventing massive epidemics. If a high proportion of the population is vaccinated, then even those who are unvaccinated are indirectly protected – you can mentally picture them as being isolated in a “bubble” of vaccinated people around them. If you’ve never been vaccinated against the flu and yet you haven’t gotten sick, you were in one of these protected bubbles, thanks to the vaccinated community around you.
In order for this indirect protection to be conferred upon vulnerable members, a certain proportion of the population must be vaccinated – this is called the “herd immunity threshold.” If the proportion of vaccinated people falls below the threshold, the “bubbles” might come in contact with each other – an infectious person could meet a susceptible person, and thus a new chain of infection would form. The herd immunity threshold for influenza is estimated to be greater than 60 per cent. If we all continue thinking that we don’t need to get the shot, we won’t meet the threshold, and the vulnerable members of our community, such as infants and the elderly, will not be protected.
This being said, the flu shot isn’t perfect. It’s known to have side effects such as aches, fever, chills, cough and nausea. This happens because your immune system thinks that you have the flu, and it’s fighting against it. It’s understandable that you don’t really want to be dealing with all the side effects on top of November crunch season. Or, you could be preventing a more serious bout of the actual flu from hitting you later in the winter. The cost-benefit analysis is up to you.
Another reason you might not want to get vaccinated are the horror stories of severe reactions. If you have an egg allergy you should avoid the shot, as the vaccine viruses are grown in chicken eggs. Rare adverse reactions do exist, but it’s important to remember that the media, in pursuit of sensationalist headlines, tends to give these cases a disproportional amount of coverage. Research has shown that the risk-benefit ratio for the general population is overwhelmingly in favour of vaccination.
At the end of the day, vaccination and anything else that affects your body is 100 per cent your personal choice. No matter what you decide, it’s good to have the facts to make an informed decision.
One last note: After the vaccination, your immune system takes about two weeks to build up enough antibodies to be effective – so if you decide to go for it, the sooner the better!
